Internal-combustion engine.



No. 65|,062. Patented June 5, I900.

' A. ADAMSON:

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1899.)

(No Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

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No. 651,062. Patented June 5, I900. A. ADAMSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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ALFRED ADAMSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,062, dated June 5, 1900.

. Application filed October 14,1899.-' Serial No. 733,563. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it knownthat I, ALFRED ADAMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at No.

188 Washington street, Lynn,in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to internal-combustion engines, and has for its aims to produce an improved engine of such class which shall cally the normal atmospheric pressure, thereby eliminating noise in connection with the exhaust, and which otherwise shall be so contrived as to run practically noiselessly.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows an engine embodying the invention, the engine being represented in the said figure mainly in vertical section on the plane of the dotted line 1 l in Fig. 2 looking in the direction that is indicated by the arrows near the ends of such line. Fig. 2 is a View showing the same mainly in side elevation and partly in vertical section on the plane of the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction that is indicated by the arrows near the ends of such line.

The engine is provided with two cylinders 1 and 2, which contain the respective pistons 3 and 4:, the said cylinders preferably having the exteriors of the shells thereof form ed with a parallel series of projecting rings or ribs, as shown, for the purpose of stiffening and strengthening them and also assisting in radiating away the heat that is received from the charges within the cylinder.

The pistons 3 and 4' are connected, respectively, by rods 5 and 6 with opposite cranks 7 and 8, respectively, with which the crankshaft 9 is provided.

The crank-shaft 9 is preferably made tubular or hollow, as indicated in Fig. 1, in order to combine lightness with strength.

10 is a pipe through which successive explosive charges of mingled air and combustible gas or vapor are caused to pass into the cylinder 1 at the inner end of the latter.

11 is a pump for forcing the said charges through pipe 10 into cylinder 1,tl1e said pump having connected therewith the supply-pipe '12,.which'last is shown in part merely.

The piston or plunger 13 ofpump 1.1 is,

shown connected by means of a short link 14 with one arm of a lever or walking-beam 15, having itsfulcrum at 16 and having its other arm connected with a link 17. Link 17 is slotted, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the shaft 9 passing through the slot thereof, so as to guide the link in its movements. The said link'carries a pin or roll 18, workingin a grooved cam-path 19 (see dotted lines, Fig.

2) in one side of a cam-disk 20, which is fast on shaft 9. Through the said cam-disk and other described instrumentalities between the same and the piston or plunger 13 the said piston or plunger is actuated once during each rotation of shaft 9 to force an ex-.

plosive charge into the cylinder between the inner end thereof and the piston 3.

For the purpose of regulating the speed of the engine provision is made for varying atwill the volume of the charge which is fed into cylinder 1. To this end the throw of the piston 13 is varied as by varying the relative lengths of the power and work-arms of lever 15. This is conveniently accomplished in the present instance by causing the fulcrum 16 for lever 15 to engage in a slot 151 formed in thesaid lever and extending lengthwise thereof and by adjusting the said fulcrum. Herein the fulcrum 16 is applied to a movable support or carrier 161, pivoted at 162'and connected by a rod 163 to an operating-lever 164, adapted to be moved whenever required by the person in charge of the engine.

For the purpose of igniting the successive charges within cylinder 1 I employ two contact-pieces forming terminals of a normallyopen electric circuit and coacting with each other, the one operated by the piston 3 to move the same relatively to the other. Thus the said contact-pieces are shown in the drawings at 20 21, the former being formed on or applied to the face of piston 3 and projecting toward the closed end or head of the cylinder 1 and the latter being secured to the cylinder and projecting inwardly therefrom into the path of movement of the contact-piece 20. The contact-piece 2O isin electrical connection with wire 22 of one polarity, while contact-piece 21 is insulated from cylinder 1 and has connected thereto the wire 2% of the opposite polarity. In each inward stroke of piston 3 the movement of the latter carries the contact-piece 20 against the contact-piece 21, and as the said contact-pieces separate from each other when the piston 3 reverses the direction of its movement the spark is prod need which explodes the charge that hasjust been forced by pump 11 into the cylinder 1 between the head thereof and the piston In ordcrthat the separation of the contact pieces and the production of the spark may be caused to take place after the piston 3 has begun its outward movement, the contactpiece 21, projecting inwardly from cylinder 1, is arranged to yield when struck by contactpiece 20 toward the end of the inward movemcnt of piston and to accompany the said contact-piece 20 during the remainder of the inward stroke of the said piston and a partof the return or outward stroke. This yielding of contact-piece is secured in the present instance by forming the inwardly-projecting portion thereof as an elastic or spring piece. Thereby the formation of the spark and the explosion of the charge are caused to take place while the piston is moving outward. This reduces shock and jar in the working of the engine and tends to secure quieter runn mg.

A passage-way 25 leads from cylinder 1 to cylinder 2, while a passage-way 26, leading from cylinder 2, communicates by means of a pipe 27 with the external air.

It is contemplated that after the expansion of the exploded charge in cylinder 1 the return stroke of piston 3 within such cylinder shall expel the gases and vapors from cylinder 1 through passage-way 25 into cylinder 2. Within the latter cylinder the said gases and vapors are to be permitted to act to expand still further, their remaining expansive power acting against piston 4:. Cylinder 2 is larger in diameter than cylinder 1, the respective diameters of the two cylinders being proportioned inversely as the pressure which is developed with the same by the gases and vapors.

The passage-ways 25 and 26, respectively, are controlled by valves 28 29, respectively. The said valves are connected by links 30 30 with opposite arms of a lever or walkingbeam 31, the latter having connected there with a link 32, the lower end of which is slotted and tits over shaft 9, as in the case of link 17, the said lower end carrying a roll or pin 33, which works in a cam-path 3-1 in one face of the cam-disk 20. Thereby the valves 28 29 are operated with the required alternation.

Each explosion within cylinder 1 provides for the actuation of the pistons in both cylinders in succession.

It will be apparent that the pressure remaining in the gases and vapors as they are expelled from the cylinder 1 are utilized in cylinder 2. The pressure of the gases or vapors as they finally are exhausted from cylinder 2 is reduced substantially to that of the atmosphere, and hence they occasion little or no noise as they escape from pipe 27.

I claim as my invention 1. An internal-combustion engine having two cylinders, the second thereof larger in diameter than the first, a passage-way connecting such cylinders and an exhaust passage-way leading from the second cylinder, valves controlling the said passage-ways, a lever in operative connection with the said valves to actuate them alternately, means to operate the said lever, a pump to introduce a charge into the first cylinder, and firing devices combined with the said first cylinder, substantially as described.

An internal-combustion engine comprising, essentially, the high-pressure cylinder, the low-pressure cylinder, the passage-way connecting such cylinders and an exhaust passage-Way leading from the second cylinder, valves controlling the said passage-ways, a lever in operative connection with the said valves to actuate them alternately, means to operate the said lever, a pump to introduce a charge into the higlrpressure cylinder, a le ver connected with the piston of the said pump, means to vary the stroke of the said lever, means to actuate the lever, and tiring devices combined with the high-pressure cylinder, substantially as described.

3. An internal-combustion engine comprising, essentially, the higlrpressure cylinder, the low-pressure cylinder, the passage-way connecting such cylinders and an exhaust passage-way leading from the second cylinder, valves controlling the said passage-ways, alever in operative connection with the said valves to actuate them alternately, means to operate the said lever, a pump to introduce a charge into the high-pressure cylinder, a lever connected with the piston of the said pump, means to adjust the position of the fulcrum of the said lever, means to actuate the lever, and firing devices combined with the high-pressure cylinder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED ADAMSON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, WM. A. MAoLnon. 

